Beef stew of any kind is always a winner in my house! So with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I thought I’d give Guinness Beef Stew a try. Even if you’re not a fan of the famous dark Irish beer, you’ll still love this stew! The Guinness Draught beer makes the stew rich and chocolatey without giving it an overly beer-y(is that a word?) taste. It’s really delicious! The recipe calls for 2 ounces of bittersweet chocolate to round out the flavor…it sounds a little weird but you can’t even tell it’s there.

Instead of using the slow cooker, I cooked the stew in the oven. First, I browned the beef in two batches in my dutch oven, set the browned beef aside in a separate bowl, then browned the onions in the dutch oven. I then added the broth, Guinness and the rest of the ingredients to the dutch oven, covered it with the lid, and baked the stew in a preheated 350° oven for 3 hours. When the stew was finished cooking, I removed it from the oven and placed it on a burner set at medium-high heat. I then added the flour/beer mixture and stirred it into the simmering stew, letting it continue to simmer for about 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

Guinness Beef Stew
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine

Test Kitchen Discoveries
-When we enhanced the beer’s complex coffee/chocolate flavors by adding bittersweet chocolate to the slow cooker, our testers raved about the beefy, stout flavor.
-We added the Guinness in two stages to get the best of its flavor—at the beginning for a base flavor and at the end for a fresh kick.
-SHOP CAREFULLY: When cooking, choose the mellower Guinness Draught rather than Guinness Extra Stout. Straight from the bottle, both beers have their merits. But after nine hours in the slow cooker, Guinness Draught was the clear winner. Tasters noticed the “clean, toasted taste” of the stew made with Guinness Draught, while the stew made with Guinness Extra Stout, although still acceptable, was noted for having a slightly “tannic, bitter” aftertaste.
-Make sure to buy large chunks of stew meat. Trim meat of excess fat, as necessary, and cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces. Be gentle when stirring in the flour in step 3—the fork-tender beef will fall apart if stirred too aggressively.

Serves 6 to 8.

4 pounds boneless beef chuck stew meat  
2 tablespoons vegetable oil  
2 onions, chopped 
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth  
1 1/2 cups Guinness Draught  (not Guinness Extra Stout)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar  
1 teaspoon dried thyme  
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate , chopped 
2 bay leaves  
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 
1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks 
1 1/2 pounds baby red potatoes, scrubbed 
1/4 cup all-purpose flour  
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves  

1. Pat beef dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook half of beef until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker insert and repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.

2. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onions, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to skillet and cook until onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add broth, 1 1/4 cups stout, sugar, thyme, chocolate, and bay leaves and bring to boil, using wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits. Transfer to slow cooker insert.

3. Add carrots, parsnips, and potatoes to slow cooker insert. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, 9 to 10 hours (or cook on high for 6 to 7 hours). Set slow cooker to high. Whisk flour and remaining 1/4 cup beer until smooth, then stir mixture into slow cooker. Cook, covered, until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper, and discard bay leaf. Serve.

Make Ahead: You can prepare the recipe through step 2 the night before the ingredients go into the slow cooker. Refrigerate the browned beef and the onion mixture in separate containers. In the morning, transfer the beef and the onion mixture to the slow cooker and proceed with step 3.

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Tags: beef stew, boneless beef chuck stew meat, Comfort Food, Guinness beef stew, Guinness Draught, Irish beef stew, St. Patrick's Day dinner, stout

Recently, I was looking for carrot recipes and ran across this one for Caramelized Carrot Risotto. Since roasted carrots are one of my favorite winter side dishes and risotto is my favorite rice dish, I knew I had to make this recipe. While not a quick dish to make, it is definitely comfort food. The flavors are simple, mild and perfect for springtime. Husband called it Creamy Goodness…I totally agree!

Caramelized Carrot Risotto
-recipe from Sunset Magazine

It’s made the traditional way, but this risotto hits some extraordinary flavor notes, mainly because of two not-so-common risotto ingredients. One is creamy sweet mascarpone cheese. The other is carrots, slow cooked in a butter-oil bath until their sugars caramelize.

Note: To make this risotto even prettier, you can cut the carrots into 1/4-in. dice (it’s time-consuming, but makes the carrots look like little jewels). Mascarpone — a rich Italian-style cream cheese available at specialty, gourmet, and Whole Foods stores — can be replaced with an equal amount of heavy cream.

Yield: Makes 6 to 8 servings as a side dish or first course

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
6 medium carrots, peeled and chopped as finely and evenly as possible (about 3 cups; see Notes)
About 1/2 tsp. salt
1 teaspoon sugar
5 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup minced onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese (I used heavy cream)
1/4 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese, plus 1/2 cup for garnish
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 tbsp. for garnish
1 teaspoon roughly chopped fresh thyme
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Heat 1 tbsp. oil and 1 tbsp. butter over medium heat in a medium heavy-bottomed pot; add carrots and stir with a wooden spoon until well coated. Add 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tsp. salt, and the sugar; cover and cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until water evaporates and carrots are just starting to brown, a few minutes more. Reserve half of the carrots. In a blender, purée other half with 3/4 cup hot water.

Bring chicken broth to a simmer and keep at a simmer, covered, over low heat.

Heat remaining oil and butter over medium heat in same (unwashed) pot used for carrots. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add rice, stirring with a wooden spoon to coat rice with oil, 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine evaporates. Add carrot purée and cook, stirring, until mixture no longer looks soupy.

Add 1/2 cup hot broth, stirring often, until rice absorbs most of the liquid. Repeat process, adding 1/2 cup broth at a time and stirring often till each addition is absorbed before adding the next, until rice is al dente (about 20 minutes; at least 1 cup broth will remain).

Fold in reserved carrots (save 2 tbsp. for garnish), mascarpone, 1/4 cup parmesan, 1 tbsp. parsley, and the thyme. Add up to 1 cup broth (1/4 cup at a time) to loosen the risotto. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Sprinkle each bowl of risotto with some of remaining 1/2 cup parmesan, remaining 1 tbsp. parsley, and reserved carrots. Serve immediately.

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Tags: Arborio rice, caramelized carrots, Italian, rice, risotto, vegetarian

One of my weaknesses is a good, chewy chocolate chip cookie. It’s like my kryptonite. I’m not proud of it, but I’m pretty much defenseless around them, which is why I don’t make chocolate chip cookies very often. Recently, though, I was thumbing through the Grand Central Baking Book (from the popular Grand Central Bakery located in Portland and Seattle ) and saw the recipe for their delicious Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. “Oh yeah,” I thought, “I’m totally making these!” And, boy, do these chewy, chocolate-studded treats rock!

I’ve used a combo of semisweet and milk chocolate chips or all semi-sweet chocolate chips. Use what you have and/or like. My personal favorite is Guittard brand chocolate chips (creamy, smooth and absolutely delicious!).

My oven is goofy so I always have to play with the baking time a bit. Just watch for the cookies to have golden edges…the inside will still look a bit underdone. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes then pour a cold glass of milk and devour!

What’s your food kryptonite?

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
-recipe from The Grand Central Baking Book by Piper Davis and Ellen Jackson

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces, or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1 cup (7 ounces) packed light brown sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups (9 ounces) rolled oats (old-fashioned oats)
1 cup (6 ounces) bittersweet chocolate chips or chunks
1 cup (6 ounces) milk chocolate chips or chunks

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Measure the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. (Put the dry ingredients through a fine-mesh sieve if the flour or baking soda is clumpy.)

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until lighter in color and fluffy. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl several times during the process.

While the mixer is running, crack the eggs into a liquid measuring cup and add the vanilla. Reduce the speed to low, then slowly pour in the eggs, letting them fall in one at a time incorporating the first egg completely before adding the next. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl once during the process.

Gradually add the dry ingredients (in 2 to 3 additions) with the mixer on low speed. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl once, to fully incorporate the butter and sugar. Combine the oats and chocolate in the same bowl used for the dry ingredients, then add them to the dough with the mixer on low speed, mixing just until everything is well distributed. Often it’s easier to finish mixing by hand using a stiff rubber spatula.

Scoop the dough into balls the size of ping-pong balls (about 1.5 ounces). Arrange the dough balls on the prepared pans, 6 per pan, then press into 1/2-inch-thick disks.

Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through the baking time. The edges of the cookies should be golden brown, while the centers will appear blond and slightly underdone. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets.

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Tags: Baking, chocolate chips, cookies, desserts, Grand Central Bakery, Grand Central Baking Book, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, rolled oats

Mashed potatoes are one of my favorite comfort foods, and it’s hard to improve on this classic dish. I made a new recipe the other night that just might be my new standard mashed potato recipe: Turnip and Potato Mash. Now before you turn up your nose (okay, bad joke), hear me out on this one. These mashed potatoes have personality! The mashed turnip is a great secret ingredient in this dish that adds another layer of flavor and a little oomph.

In case you’ve never bought them, turnips are round and white-purplish in color, and are a good source of Vitamin C and fiber. Choose small to medium turnips for the mildest flavor.

For the smoothest possible mash, use a potato ricer. Serve the Turnip and Potato Mash with anything you’d normally serve mashed potatoes with (chicken, turkey, beef, pork). Enjoy!

Turnip and Potato Mash
-recipe from Martha Stewart Everyday Food Magazine (Dec. 2010)

Serve this peppery replacement for mashed potatoes alongside seared steak. Serves 4 to 6.

1 pound turnips (about 2 medium), peeled and diced large
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and diced large
1 dried bay leaf
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

In a medium saucepan, bring turnips, potatoes, and bay leaf to a boil in salted water over high; cook until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, 20 minutes. Drain, discard bay leaf, and return vegetables to pan. Add sour cream and butter, and mash until mostly smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Tags: Comfort Food, mashed potatoes, mashed turnips, Turnip and Potato Mash, turnips

When it’s cold and blustery outside or I’m feeling under the weather, I want a big, steaming bowl of something like this Pennsylvania Dutch Corn and Chicken Soup. It’s easy to make, and simply flavored with corn, celery and onion. No fancy ingredients…no complicated methods…just good, old-fashioned comfort in a bowl.

Pennsylvania Dutch Corn and Chicken Soup
-recipe from Cook’s Country Magazine

This old-fashioned soup has its roots in the Pennsylvania Dutch kitchen and is fast, easy, and hearty—perfect for a weeknight meal. Gently poaching the chicken breasts in the simmering soup improves their flavor and keeps them tender. Serves 4 to 6.

1 (16-ounce) bag  frozen corn , thawed 
8 cups  low-sodium chicken broth  
1 tablespoon  unsalted butter  
1 onion, chopped 
1 celery rib, sliced thin 
 Salt and pepper  
2 boneless, skinless chicken cutlet  (about 12 ounces), cut into1/2-inch chunks 
3 cups egg noodles (see note) 

Combine 2 cups corn and 2 cups broth in blender and puree until smooth. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook onion, celery, remaining corn, and ½ teaspoon salt until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in remaining broth, chicken, noodles, and pureed corn mixture. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until noodles are tender and chicken is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Test Kitchen Discoveries
•Use frozen corn for convenience. Puree a portion of the corn with some of the chicken broth to thicken and infuse the soup with a deep corn flavor.
•Light ‘n ‘Fluffy Wide Egg Noodles is the test kitchen’s top-rated brand.
•Sauté the vegetables (just onion, corn, and celery) to concentrate their flavors.
•The noodles cook in the broth with the vegetables and chicken—which adds even more flavor.

Tags: celery, chicken soup, corn, egg noodles, Pennsylvania Dutch

Beef stew is always a favorite at my house. Sometimes I like to change it up by making Ranchero Beef Stew, a Spanish-inspired dish that features beef simmered with carrots, green chilies, tomatoes and green olives. It’s hearty, filling and and a nice change from traditional beef stew!

The recipe states that the stew only needs to simmer for 1 hour but I’m not sure in what universe they were cooking it in. I’ve never had stew meat get tender in an hour. Since I wanted the meat super tender (not chewy), I let the stew simmer for almost 3 hours. I served the stew over garlic mashed potatoes. YUMM! It was a perfect meal for a cool Autumn evening!
Optional: a teaspoon of cumin added to the simmering stew adds nice flavor to the final dish. 

Ranchero Beef Stew
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine

Traditional beef stew with Spanish overtones. It’s delicious over rice or pasta. Serves 4. 

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large onion, cubed
2 medium carrots, cubed
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 15-to 16-ounce can stewed tomatoes
1 cup canned beef broth
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 cup sliced pimiento-stuffed green olives (about 2 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper. Add to Dutch oven; sauté until brown, about 5 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth chilies, olives and oregano. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until beef is tender, about 1 hour (I simmered my stew for about 3 hours). Uncover; simmer until juices thicken, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cilantro.

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Tags: beef broth, beef stew, carrots, cilantro, green chilies, green olives, onion, Spanish, tomatoes

Really Good Lasagna may be a goofy name for a recipe but it’s true…it really is good! Instead of using ricotta cheese like many lasagna recipes, this one layers lasagna noodles with a meat sauce, a creamy Parmesan white sauce, and Fontina cheese.  The resulting lasagna is creamier than the version most of us have had. It’s not just good, it’s GREAT! (Apologies for the photo…it doesn’t do the lasagna justice!)

For the meat sauce, if you don’t have prosciutto, don’t bother running to the store for it. The sauce is still delicious without it. Also, I usually use 1 lb. ground beef instead of meat loaf mix.

I found a type of fresh lasagna noodles that I like so I use those instead of the oven-ready type. When making the lasagna this time, I got distracted while layering the ingredients so it became a free for all…the layers weren’t exactly as the recipe stated but it’s a casserole so it all turned out fine. I served the lasagna with roasted winter squash, green salad, and sauteed broccoli with pine nuts and a splash of balsamic vinegar. YUMM!

Really Good Lasagna
-recipe from Perfect Recipes for Having People Over by Pam Anderson

I’ve developed a lasagna that’s simple yet exceptional: casual enough to serve at a potluck, friendly enough to take to a neighbor, refined enough to serve as part of a sit-down dinner.

Instead of having the usual overbearing red sauce and blobs of ricotta cheese, it’s layered with two sauces – a rich, meaty Bolognese and a bold white sauce punched up with garlic and Parmesan cheese. And the more assertive Fontina takes the place of the mozzarella. The lasagna may be easy to make, but it’s hardly ordinary. Serves 12.

Bolognese-Style Sauce
3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, cut into small dice
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into small dice
1 small celery stalk, cut into small dice
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into small dice
1 pound meat loaf mix (or ground turkey or ground beef)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
1 cup whole milk
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

Parmesan White Sauce
2 1/2 cups (2% or whole) milk
1 cup chicken broth
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black Pepper

Lasagna
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
15 oven-ready (rippled-style, such as Ronzoni) lasagna noodles (from two 8-ounce packages)
8 ounces Fontina cheese, grated (about 2 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

To make Bolognese sauce: Heat butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook until just soft, about 3 minutes. Add prosciutto and saute until vegetables are fully softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add ground meat and cook, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and stirring frequently, until it loses its raw color, about 3 minutes. Add vermouth and simmer until almost evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally and adding water as necessary, until reduced to a thick but not gloppy sauce, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat.

To make white sauce: Combine milk, broth, and garlic in a 2-quart Pyrex measuring cup or a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a small plate, and microwave until steamy hot, 8 to 10 minutes (or heat in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat).

Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When foaming subsides, whisk in flour until well blended. Pour in hot milk all at once; whisk vigorously until sauce is smooth and starts to bubble and thicken. Stir in Parmesan and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and place plastic wrap directly on sauce’s surface.

To assemble and bake lasagna: Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425° degrees.

Dissolve salt in 2 quarts hot tap water in a 13″x9″ baking dish. Add noodles and soak until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain noodles and stack loosely. (Noodles may stick together as they dry but will pull apart easily.) Wipe baking dish dry.

Smear 1/4 cup white sauce over bottom of baking dish. Top with a layer of 3 noodles, then 2/3 cup white sauce, 1 cup meat sauce, 1/2 cup Fontina, and 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Repeat 3 times, then make a final layer with remaining noodles, white sauce, and cheeses. Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake until very hot throughout, about 30 minutes. Leaving pan on rack, remove foil and turn oven to broil. Watching carefully, broil lasagna until cheese and sauce are spotty brown. Remove from oven and let stand to set, 10 to 15 minutes. Cut into portions and serve.

Tags: Bechamel sauce, Bolognese sauce, Fontina cheese, Italian, lasagna, meat sauce, parmesan cheese, Parmesan white sauce

If you like mushrooms, you’re going to LOVE this risotto! Like all risotto recipes, it does take some effort but, boy, is it worth it: it’s hearty, earthy and delicious!

I basically followed the recipe with a few minor substitutions. I used turkey Italian sausage and substituted Marsala wine for the Madeira. For the mushrooms, I used 6 oz. portobello, 8 oz. crimini and 4 oz. shiitake…a total of 18 ounces. I sauteed the onion and garlic in 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) of butter instead of a whole stick. If you can’t find Asiago cheese, just use Parmesan. A drizzle of truffle oil would put this risotto over the top!

Italian Sausage and Wild Mushroom Risotto
-recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine from Tuscany, Salt Lake City, UT

At the restaurant, this dish is served as a starter. It would also make a great main course for four. Makes 8 first-course servings.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Italian sweet sausage, casings removed, crumbled into 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces portobello mushrooms, stemmed, dark gills scraped out, caps diced
10 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, diced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 cups Madeira (I used Marsala)

6 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (I used 1/2 stick, or 4 tablespoons)
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups arborio rice or other medium-grain rice (about 13 ounces)
1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and sauté until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Add all mushrooms, thyme, and oregano and sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup Madeira; boil until almost absorbed, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Bring stock to simmer in large saucepan; remove from heat and cover to keep hot. Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 cup Madeira; simmer until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup hot stock; simmer until almost absorbed, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, adding more stock by cupfuls, stirring often and allowing most stock to be absorbed before adding more, about 25 minutes. Stir in sausage mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving bowl. Pass cheese separately.

Tags: arborio, Asiago cheese, chicken broth, Italian, italian sausage, Madeira, Main Dish, Marsala, onion, oregano, portobello mushrooms, rice, risotto, shiitake mushrooms, Side Dish, thyme, wild mushrooms

One of my kids recently requested (verbatim) chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles for his birthday treat. After doing a quick recipe search, I decided to make him a Chocolate Sour Cream Cake. The very moist, very chocolatey and very delicious cake was a hit with the Birthday Boy! Is there anything better than that?

I chose to make my own frosting so I can’t vouch for that part of the recipe. I can, however, vouch for the cake! In fact, I’m having a piece right now as I’m writing this post…Mmmmmm. 

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
-recipe from Hershey’s.com

Makes 12 to 15 servings.

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 container (16 oz.) dairy sour cream
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FUDGE FROSTING(recipe follows)
 
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

Stir together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 3 minutes. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Frost with FUDGE FROSTING.

FUDGE FROSTING

Makes about 1 cup frosting.

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/3 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa
1-1/3 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa; cook, stirring constantly, just until mixture begins to boil. Pour mixture into medium bowl; cool completely. Add powdered sugar alternately with milk to cocoa mixture, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla.

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Tags: birthday cake, chocolate, chocolate cake, chocolate sour cream cake, sour cream

This recipe for Pan-Roasted Chicken with Spinach and Smashed Potatoes is definitely comfort food. Plus, it’s a simple enough meal to pull together on a weeknight…you’ve got to love that! Husband was delighted when he walked in the door from work and was greeted with the wonderful fragrance of roast chicken.

I pretty much followed the recipe except for a few subtle changes. I chose to use a whole onion (quartered and some layers separated) instead of the shallots. Also, I used a different pan for the spinach so I could use the pan drippings from the chicken to make a simple gravy. I didn’t feel like messing with garlic so I didn’t add any to the spinach. If the lemony spinach sits too long then it starts to turn a funky greyish color so definitely wait until ready to serve before adding the lemon. For the smashed potatoes, I omitted the lemon zest and substituted good ol’ butter for the oil.  The taters were delicious and using potato cooking water in place of milk or cream is a genius way to get a healthier version of mashed potatoes. This was a great meal that I know I’ll be making again and again!

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Spinach and Smashed Potatoes
-recipe from Martha Steward Everyday Food Magazine
 
Serves 4.

1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 large shallots, quartered
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound spinach, trimmed and washed
Fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a medium saucepan, bring potatoes to a boil in salted water and cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and thyme. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over medium-high. Cook chicken, skin side down, until golden and crisp, 5 minutes. Flip, then add shallots; cook until chicken is browned, 5 minutes. Flip shallots, then transfer skillet to oven. Roast until chicken is cooked through, 15 minutes.

Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water from potatoes. Drain potatoes and return to pan. Add 2 teaspoons of the oil, the lemon zest, and reserved cooking water; season with salt and pepper and roughly mash.

Transfer chicken and shallots to a platter and heat skillet over medium. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil and the garlic cloves, and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Gradually add spinach, and toss until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve chicken with shallots, potatoes, and spinach.

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Tags: Chicken, Comfort Food, smashed potatoes, spinach